Circus Life
by Mordreds Girl
Summary: AU. 12 drabbles about what would have happened if Chane had run away from her father when she was younger. Claire/Chane


Chane hopes that this will be a new start with _everything_. She is seventeen now, and feels that the confines of home are far too constricting for her. So she decided to run away, to America of all places. Traveling hadn't been easy with no voice, but she'd managed to do it. After going through Ellis Island the first thing she sees is a brightly colored circus sign. A brand new start.

2. I've got my Eye on You

The ringmaster is impressed with her skills, though Chane knows that she could do better. After her audition and acceptation into the circus the ringmaster introduces her to the rest of the troupe. Names and faces blur together for the most part, in time they will become distinct. But on of the trapeze artists stands out, though she cannot figure out why this is so. She doesn't remember his name but his eyes pull at her.

3. Come Together

There's only a few hours before her first performance. The circus is alive with energy and she can almost feel it buzzing against her skin. Her fellow performers are getting ready for the show, putting on costumes, stretching, and occasionally helping other people with their respective tasks. The ringmaster tells her that since she hasn't chosen a "target" for her act he will pick one for her, and does she want it to be a surprise? She shakes her head at that. The ringmaster then points over to the trapeze artists who are stretching, the redhead, with the eyes that pull, winks at her and she blushes faintly.

4. Parlay

"That was quite impressive you know," the redhead. . .Claire, tells her once they've left the ring, his voice reminds her of the ones she heard the short time she was in New York and she wonders why he left. She nods in response. "You can say things you know, the mute bit's only part of your act." This time she shakes her head, and conveys to him that she cannot speak at all. His face falls slightly, and then he smiles again. "Well that's alright, I don't really mind." And she wonders why he thinks his opinion is the only one that matters.

5. Come on Eileen

"Come on, Chane!" She shakes her head more vehemently this time. "I just want to know how you did it." She glares at Claire, but he's not put off by it at all. "I swear I won't show it to anyone else." She knows he won't give up until he gets what he wants, but she's not going to explain her tricks to him in any way, shape or form, so he'll be asking her for a while. Which posed an interesting question, how long would Claire keep asking her about her tricks before he found something else to keep his attention? She didn't think it would take long, but she'd been proven wrong before.

6. One I Love

"Marry me?" The question come so out of the blue that she's shocked into complete silence. She pulls out her pad of paper: _You managed to fall and hit your head on the net didn't you_. Claire looks offended, "you know I never fall Chane." She does her best to ignore the way he says her name and writes: _I've know you for about a month, what makes you think I want to marry you?_

He grins, "you may not want to marry me yet, but as long as you don't say no I'll keep perusing you." She doesn't know whether she should feel offended or pleased. She never really had much contact with boys her own age when she was in France with her father, and her month here in America has been a bit of a shock in that department. _Shouldn't we be dating first_? He shrugs, "if you want we can do that, but it always seemed kind of awkward to me." Chane doesn't know how to reply to that.

7. Charlotte Mittnacht

Their first date he takes her to an Italian restaurant. When the waiter comes with their water he orders food for the both of them, he didn't even let her look at the menu. She glares at him, but he's nonplussed.

"You've never had Italian before you don't really know what you like." Her glare deepens and she wants to yell: "Of course not, but I can try things and find out what I like for myself," but she can't. He seems to pick up on it however.

"Relax Chane," he tells her picking her hand off the table and holding it between his own. "I'll let you pick out dessert, how's that?" She punches him lightly on the arm with her free hand, he just laughs.

8. The Lion Sleeps Tonight

This time she takes the time to watch him perform. Claire is all leonine grace as he lets go of the bar and twists. She can almost hear the slap of skin against skin as he grabs onto his partner's arms. The crowd applauds. Her eyes follow him as he lands on the platform. Somehow he sees her too, he waves at her excitedly, like a child.

9. Nagai Nagai Yume no Naka no Utage ~Baccano! no theme~

Today they have the day off, yesterday pulled more money than the ringmaster thought it would and they've thrown an impromptu party. In the corner a gramaphone plays the newest Louis Armstrong record and she watches as some of the dining tables are cleared away to make room for dancing. Claire is there suddenly, his hand outstretched with an unspoken question. She shakes her head, not knowing how to explain to him that she doesn't know any of the dances every other girl her age knows. But some how he knows, he pulls her up and leads her to the dance floor and then puts her feet on top of his.

"I'll lead, you follow."

10. Love you Madly

Chane thinks Claire's love might be contagious, because the feelings she has for him now have grown beyond infatuation. He hasn't asked her to marry him after that first time three months ago, but the question is always there in his eyes. In traveling through America she's seen more of the world than she ever thought she would, yet there is still something about Claire that eludes her. Something in the way he acts that seems to make the world somehow bend to his will, and sometimes late at night that scares her, but only at night and only when she misses home.

11. World in my Eyes

Somehow Claire convinced her this was a good idea. The big top is empty, save for themselves. And Claire decided to show her what it was like on the trapeze. They're standing on the platform high above the ground and she wants to tell him this is a bad idea, but her notepad is on the ground, which seems very far away. She stands still while he climbs onto the trapeze himself, and soon he is hanging from his knees and swaying back and forth sightly, hands outstretched towards her. Gingerly she reaches for him, and before she can blink she's swinging along with him. She clutches to him tightly and closes her eyes.

"Chane," her name is enough to open her eyes and as they swing she realizes why he does what he does.

12. The Carnival is Over/ Book of Days

It's been a year since they met, though with Claire much more time seems to have passed. She finally says yes. He gives a 'whoop' of joy and spins her around until she feels dizzy. Even when he puts her down he seems to be radiating happiness.

"You'll have to meet my family of course. . .well they're not really my family, but you get the idea." She didn't but she wasn't going to tell him that. "You should pack your bags," he continues. "I want us to be on the next train to New York." She nods, and feels that she has come full circle in a way. Her new life began in New York and there it will be recreated once more. And she finds that she is eager to know more about her fiance.

---

New York is bustling but Claire seems to know where he is going so she trails after him, trying not to get lost. A while later she begins to notice more than a few Italian flags, and Claire's step gets that much quicker. They enter a dark alleyway that somehow turns into another and another, and suddenly they're in front of a speakeasy. It seems to be closed but Claire doesn't seemed to be bothered by it and goes right in, she follows behind more cautiously.

The air tastes of smoke and alcohol as she descends the stairs. At the bottom she is greeted by Claire and three other men. Claire smiles at her.

"Chane I'd like for you to meet my brothers. . ."


End file.
